Lost in the shuffle: post Saraki amputation and pre-diagnosis with heart failure, Sharon & I had our late Valentine's date Friday night. Dinner at the recently reopened Udupi Cafe (yay!), and a viewing of the much ballyhooed and booed, staple of light night talk show monologue move, Brokeback Mountain.
I though I'd heard, going in, the whole "gay thing" was secondary to the plot, which is a love story. I totally must have misheard that. In anything approaching mainstream cinema, I realize now we're probably about twenty years out yet from something like that; and the subject was right out, front and center.
Ang Lee, the director, did a really interesting and quite amazing thing thing in Brokeback: he placed this scene about 15 minutes in that just assaults your sensitivities, even if it's something you think you're prepared for. I couldn't help but to squirm in the ever-so slightly uncomfortable way and exlaim a low, "whoa..." After that, I think the movie kind of says, "Are you still with me? Good..." It's like it just wanted to say, "I think I know what you're afraid of, so let me just throw this at you, so we can just get it out in the open and you don't have to be wondering in the back of your mind what's going to happen, when." From that point on, the movie becomes one of the (choose to believe it or not) most accurrately portrayed Westerns I have ever seen, as well as an incredible, beautiful, heart-rending love story. It is also, maybe, the best acted movie I have ever seen. I can't specifically recall any better. I cannot recommend it enough.
On a side note: these cowboys in this movie are badasses. T-Clog would love almost everything about the Heath Ledger character. He's just like a young Woodrow Call, except he gets fucked up the butt.
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Gets me thinking about having another old west campout. There is only one thing that separates Brokeback Mountain and our old west campouts.
Yeah. We don't have horses.
Ang Lee isn't there filming it.
But they certainly aren't for the faint of heart.
I'll get it on Netflix. First time I've heard of a squirm-worthy scene in the film. Interesting.
I am serious about having another old west campout. Maybe we have an old west driveout? Dress like cowboys heading west and getting into trouble. A fun movie opportunity.
Ever-so-slightly, mind you. My stance on same sex coupling is well documented, but the lingering footholds of my represeed, midwestern-raised sensibilities were eyebrow-raised into the here and now.
I don't think you're attitude is far out of the mainstream, and is probably more enlightened.
Ang Lee did another, less-famous "gay" film, The Wedding Banquet, which I've seen and recommend. "Eat Drink Man Woman" is worth checking out. I haven't seen this new one. Nor have I seen "The Hulk", but I'm suprised there hasn't been many jokes about Ang Lee making both Hulk and Brokeback. Perhaps there's just no connecting the two.
That's right, he did The Hulk!!! I remember insulting that movie sight unseen (except for some clips of the CG which were simply embarassing, and more than enough on which to base my opinion).
Clog-I've advocated for an Old West campout actually IN the West for years and years. I'm not against it to this day. I think we'd want to rent an F-150 to pull it off, though. We can't go driving into Deadwood, SD in an automatic transmission Saturn wagon with a John Kerry bumper sticker.
People would see us in cowboy hats riding in a Saturn and know we were from Brokeback Mountain. "Hey, those cowboys look like fags." You have a good point about the F-150 thing. You would also need a shotgun in the rear window.
Your gas budget would be out of control. Better to get a bumper sticker that says -
My Other Car is a Kick-Ass Truck so Back Off.
Hulk was pretty damn bad, though better than the Fantastic Four which sucked total ass. Only redeeming part - Jessica Alba. Rented Hulk, thinking Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger of course, and Ice Storm starring Frodo) could make it worthwhile.
Of all the recent superhero movies, Spiderman II, Batman Begins, and X-Men 2 were all better than expected. Batman was particularly well done.
I saw Batman Begins and Spiderman 2 in IMAX. Kind of trippy, especially when you're watching Spiderman swinging around New York.
As for Alba, if you are a fan, all I can say is: "Into the Blue".
Not sure I would call myself a fan, but she is hot.
Into the Blue looked like the worst kind of Hollywood Frankenstein.
That's why I specify: IF you are into Alba, then "ITB" would be worth it to you.
You guys have seen far too many superhero movies
Well, "Superman II" is going to get a big re-edit this summer. SUPERMAN II... and yet I'm looking forward to it
You know that Superman II was actually based on an episode of the not-so-funky 70s animated series with the Wonder Twins?
Well, no, but I suppose it's all so...related. I don't read comic books, I don't know all the mythologies. I get tired just thinking about it. Graphic novels I do like. And a good superhero movie. I remember seeing Superman as a kid, just getting into those opening credits. It really did spoil me.
Superhero movies are the best sort of escapist film making, when done well.
Not for me. I don't know if there's been a superhero movie I particularly liked. I know some of the "mythologies," simply as a result of having watched an excessive amount of TV as a pre-teen, but I never read comic books and have never been into the live action movies.
Not a big fan of:
- Superhero movies
- C.G.
May be the only two pieces of evidence AGAINST me being a geek.
My favorite superhero film is Clash of the Titans. Not really superhero as the other movies, but has a lot of superhero traits.
C.G. in movies I assume you mean, as opposed to CG in say, Baldur's Gate.
Weird powers and a flying horse to name a couple.
Mixdorf: But of course
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